Camera apparatus that is controllable by an optical signal picked up in an image by the camera apparatus, and a method for operating the same

Abstract

An image pickup device such as CCD of a camera is substituted for a photo detector of infrared light emitted from an infrared remote control unit. When infrared light is detected based on an image signal output from the image pickup device, a transmitting position of infrared light in the object is detected. The camera executes such operations that transmitting positions detected are set as a focus detecting range in focus control, an exposure detecting range in exposure control, and a color evaluation range in white balance control.

1. A camera apparatus comprising:
 an image pickup device which acquires an object image and outputs an image signal; 
 a recording unit which records the image signal output from the pickup device; 
 a first detector which detects a light of a predetermined wavelength included in the object image based on the image signal output from the image pickup device; 
 a determination unit which determines whether an image pickup frame period is synchronized with a period of an optical signal which is included in the image signal output from the image pickup device; 
 a synchronizing unit which synchronizes the image pickup frame period with the period of the optical signal by shifting a phase of the image pickup frame period when the determination unit determines that the image pickup frame period is not synchronized with the period of the optical signal; and 
 a controller which executes a predetermined control operation when the light of the predetermined wavelength is detected by the detector. 
 
   
   
     2. The camera apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first detector detects a transmitting position of the light; and 
 the controller executes the predetermined control operation based on the transmitting position of the light detected by the first detector. 
 
   
   
     3. The camera apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second detector which detects a plurality of types of code data which are transmitted by the optical signal, which is periodically output from the image pickup device; and 
 wherein the controller executes the control operation based on the plurality of types of code data detected by the second detector. 
 
   
   
     4. The camera apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first detector detects the light before the second detector detects the code data. 
 
   
   
     5. A camera operation method comprising:
 acquiring an object image and outputting an image signal; 
 recording the output image signal; 
 detecting a light of a predetermined wavelength included in the object image based on the output image signal; 
 determining whether an image pickup frame period is synchronized with a period of an optical signal which is included in the output image signal; 
 synchronizing the image pickup frame period with the period of the optical signal by shifting a phase of the image pickup frame period when it is determined that the image pickup frame period is not synchronized with the period of the optical signal; and 
 executing a predetermined control operation when the light of the predetermined wavelength is detected.